


Perspective is Everything

by Brigandell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, fluff mostly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-28
Updated: 2012-11-27
Packaged: 2017-11-19 17:49:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/575969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brigandell/pseuds/Brigandell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Lily and James actually got together (from both points of view).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perspective is Everything

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written as a school assignment but I decided to share it. I haven't decided whether or not I should continue it.

Lily sat at her desk, staring at her homework yet making no progress as her mind lead her back to the conversation she had with Remus not two hours ago. He had stuck around after the Prefect meeting while James ran off with all the others, rushing to get to his final quidditch practice before the final against Slytherin the next day.  
 _Remus stayed back to help Lily clean up. They worked in silence until suddenly Remus asked "When will you get over this pride thing and just tell James how you feel?"_  
 _Lily froze, "How did you-" She blushed, realizing the pointlessness of the question; nothing gets passed Remus. "I mean do the others know?" She’d only expressly told Alice how she felt but Remus snorted softly._  
 _“Peter is clueless, Sirius jokes, and James wishes but I’m the only one who’s sure.” He paused at the doorway before adding, “You know, he really does care about you but seventh year is almost over and he’s not going to wait forever.”_  
 _Lily watched in silence as Remus slipped out the door. She shuffled up to her desk in her room, right off the head dorm living area that she shared with James, and immediately pulled out the Transfiguration essay due the next week._  
 _However hard she tried, her mind kept slipping to the Head Boy. It was strange how, over the past year and a half, they had actually becomes friends. After the fifth year O.W.L. incident, his behavior changed drastically. He went from haughty and flirtatious to almost sweet. While the pranks and jokes never truly stopped they were never malicious from then on. She was still skeptical at first but, by Christmas sixth year, even she had to admit the new James was here to stay._  
 _Their heated fights gave way to witty banter and, as they became accustomed to one another’s study habits, James had taken to helping Lily with Transfigurations (the only class she actually struggled in) while, in turn, Lily started coaching James through Potions work (though she’s quite certain his main issue was years of dislike for the subject not lack of talent but needless to say, he put in effort for her sake)._  
The sound of James’s footsteps as he returned from practice snapped her back into the present. A few moments later she heard the Head Boy’s door shut. Lily slumped back in her chair just as a bundle of black fur launched itself into her lap. The kitten, Cassandra, a Christmas gift form Alice, promptly nuzzled into Lily’s neck and mewed.  
“Yes, alright, I know you’re hungry. Come on then.”  
After snatching her essay and a quill from her desk in one and holding Cassie in the other, Lily made her way into the common room. She dropped the school work unceremoniously on the table and skipped to Cassie’s corner to refill the kitten’s food and water bowls with a flick of her wand. Lily then curled up on the couch, tried to get control of her shaking body, and waited for James to reemerge from his room. She knew what she had to do, she was sure now it was the right thing, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.  
Lily was shocked out of her thoughts by a soft, “Hey you.” She looked at the man sitting beside her and answered, “Hey. How was practice?”  
“Wonderful! The team is the best I've ever seen. Slytherin doesn't stand a chance.” James boasted proudly.  
Lily couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm and the excitement that sparkled in those hazel eyes, visible beneath his glasses. His hand jumped to his hair, an unconscious gesture, Lily noticed, James has when he is nervous, as they held eye contact.  
“So, Transfigurations, yeah?”  
Lily felt herself fidgeting, knowing that she couldn't focus on homework and was working on how to breach the subject that was really on her mind.  
“We don’t have to work tonight.” She told him softly. “It’d be unfair for you to spend the night before your last match helping me with course work.”  
“Honestly, it’d be nice to get quidditch out of my mind for a while instead of obsessing over plays and strategies.” His reply came instantaneous, hand jumping back to his hair.  
“Oh.”  
Lily didn't know whether to feel worried that he wanted to work or relieved that he’d be sticking around instead of heading to bed early. She gathered all her courage before asking, “Could we just talk then?” She felt the couch shift beside her as James reclined a bit.  
“Sure thing, Lily blossom. What’s on your mind?”  
She scowled at the nickname Sirius had taken to calling her somewhere around fourth year. She hated it, though her irritation quickly faded when James laughed. Seeing the amusement dance across his features was enough to loosen her tongue. This was James, her James, who fought with her weekly for five year. James, who had gotten his ego in check just to help her heal. James, who had been nothing but an amazing friend for a year and a half, and suddenly Lily couldn't comprehend how it had taken her so long to realize this.  
“I think I’m in love with you.”  
Lily waited a moment or two before she looked over at James. His deer in the headlights expression was enough to make her nervous again. She attempted to make it better.  
“Say something. Oh Merlin, please James. I’m sorry it’s so late and I know you can’t wait around for me so if you've moved on I’m fine with it. Really. I’ll leave you alone. I’ll get over it. I never mean to upset-“ Her voice faded out in surprise as a brilliant smile spread across his face. She didn't know what to make of it but Lily couldn't stop a spark of hope from growing.  
James’s expression softened. Lily’s heart jumped to her throat as he lifted his hand to gently cup her cheek. She leaned into the touch giving James all the courage he needed to close the distance between them. Their first kiss was sweet and innocent and over before she knew it.  
“Oh.” Lily breathed out as they parted, resting their foreheads together. Immediately James drew back further looking quite anxious. Lily watched in bewilderment as his expression grew more and more worried.  
“I’m an animagus.” He blurted out. “I turn into a stag.”  
As shocked as Lily was at the outburst, she found that, somehow, it didn't bother her as much as it probably should seeing as the boy sitting in front of her, the man she loved, just proclaimed that he was an illegal shape shifter.  
“I have a reason, I swear. It’s not just for shits and giggles.”  
“Okay.” Lily smirked at how her calm statement stopped James in his tracks at once. “It’s okay. I believe you and it doesn't change anything.” She told him.  
Still skeptical, as if she would leave at any moment, he added warily, “I also have an invisibility cloak.”  
Lily laughed out loud at that. “Oh, but that explains so much! I've been wondering for years how you pulled off all those pranks! Knowing this makes it way less impressive, by the way.”  
Narrowing his eye’s, James said, “Well, I’m in possession of a map that-“ but Lily had enough. By now, she was certain that nothing he may possibly say would change her mind so her leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, effectively shutting him up. She felt his lips quirk in a smile before opening tentatively. She had barely opened hers to meet him when he pulled back again.  
“I love you, too.” He told her urgently. Lily grinned at him.  
“I know.”


End file.
